GWM confirms 'you'll see V8 in something next year', Tank SUV tipped to lead the way

GWM has reaffirmed its commitment to launching a V8-powered model in New Zealand and Australia next year, while revealing the company is still deciding which vehicle will receive the new engine first.

The Chinese brand first confirmed at this year's Beijing motor show that it had developed an all-new in-house V8 engine with markets such as New Zealand and Australia specifically in mind, with the flagship GWM Tank 700 widely expected to be the first recipient.

However, GWM Australia and New Zealand chief operating officer John Kett has now indicated the company is yet to lock in the launch model, though he expects the V8 will debut in a Tank SUV before expanding to other vehicles.

"I guarantee you're gonna see V8 in something next year," Mr Kett told CarExpert.

"I had a look at the volumes, and I don't know if we're just trying to be super conservative, but I think we'll see it in one of our Tank products first, and then eventually in some other products.

"So we definitely have it planned for. It's not a matter of if we're going to do it, we are going to do it, we're just holding back our announcement on which product it's going to go into."

While the Tank 700 remains the strongest candidate, the door is still open for another Tank SUV or Cannon ute model to launch the new powertrain first. Another possible candidate is an even bigger Tank model, the Tank 800, which was spotted testing in China and has been confirmed for launch across the ditch. However a local release has yet to be confirmed.

The confirmation builds on comments made by GWM chairman Jack Wei at the Beijing motor show, where he revealed the Tank 700 would receive a newly developed V8 despite the industry's ongoing shift towards smaller-capacity engines and electrification.

"In the future, the Tank 700 will also use a V8 engine. The supercar uses a high-performance V8, while the Tank 700 uses a normal V8," Mr Wei said at the time.

"This is completely opposite to the current environment or trend in China… We developed this V8 to meet the needs of more global users, in markets such as Australia and New Zealand."

While GWM is yet to release final specifications, the production engine is expected to be a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 paired with a plug-in hybrid system, which combine to produce more than 600kW of power and 1000Nm of torque.

Mr Kett also acknowledged bringing a V8 to Australia and New Zealand in the current regulatory environment presents challenges, with GWM carefully balancing demand against emissions targets.

"I think our conservative calculation has got more due to the fact that whether we can offset the CCS (Clean Car Standards) piece in our PHEV and EV range," he said.

"I think that's where our conservative volume is coming from. Once we announce it, we'll probably take pre-orders for it, and that will tell us the challenge that we have to offset it.

"There's no doubt that it's coming in, and I think at this time where we've all got to be super conscious of our emissions mission, we feel like we can balance it within the regulations in New Zealand and Australia."

Those comments suggest initial V8 supply could be limited as GWM manages its fleet emissions obligations, with stronger sales of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles helping offset the higher-emitting flagship.

The company has already confirmed its new V8 strategy extends beyond off-road SUVs.

Alongside the Tank 700, GWM unveiled the GF supercar at the Beijing motor show, which will also feature a 4.0-litre twin-turbo hybrid V8, while indicating multiple eight-cylinder powertrains are under development for different vehicle segments.

GWM earlier confirmed to CarExpert that the V8 GF supercar 'would become available to NZ' in the future if the business case made sense.

As the flagship of the Tank lineup, the Tank 700 will sit above the Tank 500 and Tank 300, giving GWM its most ambitious entrant yet into the premium off-road SUV segment.

Although right-hand-drive production and local launch timing beyond 2027 remain unconfirmed, GWM's repeated references to Australia and New Zealand leave little doubt the new V8 has been engineered with both markets firmly in mind.